Arts & Entertainment
Some gay bars offering ‘furlough’ specials
Some apply only to federal workers; others available to any customer
Drinks at Dos Locos (Photo courtesy Dos Locos)
A few D.C. gay bars are offering specials to federal employees while the government remains closed.
Among those:
• Number Nine (1435 P Street, N.W.) is offering a $3 Absolut “Shutdown” special Monday through Thursday starting at 9 p.m. just after the two-for-one regular happy hour special. One does not have to be a federal employee to get the special.
• Level One (1639 R Street, N.W.) is offering half-priced burgers every day from 5-8 p.m. until the shutdown ends (offer available to anyone). Drink discounts are also available.
• At MOVA (2204 14th Street, N.W.) federal employees can get one free well cocktail or 10 percent off their check total if they show valid government ID.
Other bars say their regular prices are reasonable enough that those prices should suffice.
“Tonight is flannel night at Phase 1,” says Manager Angela Lombardi. “If you wear flannel, there’s a ton of $3 and $4 drink specials. That’s a pretty damn good deal.”
Managers at Nellie’s and JR.’s echoed similar sentiments.
“We are really cheap already, so we really can’t go any lower,” says Dave Perruzza, manager of JR.’s
Freddie’s Beach Bar and Town Danceboutique are also maintaining their regular prices. Several calls placed to Ziegfeld’s/Secrets were not immediately returned. No “shutdown” specials are listed on its website.
MOVA Manager Korosh Yazdanpanah says a federal employee who visited the bar Thursday gave him the idea, even though the person was “essential” and thus, working.
“Even though he’s working, he was just saying there’s a lot of uncertainty about whether he’ll get paid on time,” Yazdanpanah says. “So we decided to offer something a little different.”
Impulse Group DC held “10’s Across the Board: A Celebration of 10 Years” at Bravo Bravo (1001 Connecticut Ave., N.W.) on Sunday, Dec. 14. Impulse Group DC is a volunteer-led 501(c)(3) and affinity group of AIDS Healthcare Foundation dedicated “to engaging, supporting, and connecting gay men” through culturally relevant health and advocacy work.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
Rob Reiner, most known for directing untouchable classics like “The Princess Bride,” “Misery,” “When Harry Met Sally…,” and “Stand by Me,” died Dec. 14 alongside his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, in their Los Angeles residence. While investigations are actively underway, sources have told PEOPLE Magazine that the pair’s son, Nick Reiner, killed his parents and has been taken into custody.
Reiner was a master of every genre, from the romantic comedy to the psychological thriller to the coming-of-age buddy movie. But in addition to his renowned work that made him a household name, Reiner is also remembered as a true advocate for the LGBTQ community. In 2009, Reiner and his wife co-founded the American Foundation for Equal Rights, helping fight against California’s Prop 8 same-sex marriage ban. They were honored at the 2015 Human Rights Campaign Las Vegas Gala.
In a statement, HRC President Kelley Robinson said: “The entire HRC family is devastated by the loss of Rob and Michele Reiner. Rob is nothing short of a legend — his television shows and films are a part of our American history and will continue to bring joy to millions of people across the world. Yet for all his accomplishments in Hollywood, Rob and Michele will most be remembered for their gigantic hearts, and their fierce support for the causes they believed in — including LGBTQ+ equality. So many in our movement remember how Rob and Michele organized their peers, brought strategists and lawyers together, and helped power landmark Supreme Court decisions that made marriage equality the law of the land — and they remained committed to the cause until their final days. The world is a darker place this morning without Rob and Michele — may they rest in power.”
Reiner’s frequent collaborators have also spoken out as the industry is in mourning, including figures like Ron Howard and John Cusack.
A joint statement from Jamie Lee Curtis and Christopher Guest (who starred in Reiner’s “This is Spinal Tap”) reads: “Christopher and I are numb and sad and shocked about the violent, tragic deaths of our dear friends Rob and Michele Singer Reiner and our ONLY focus and care right now is for their children and immediate families and we will offer all support possible to help them. There will be plenty of time later to discuss the creative lives we shared and the great political and social impact they both had on the entertainment industry, early childhood development, the fight for gay marriage, and their global care for a world in crisis. We have lost great friends. Please give us time to grieve.”
While attending the 2019 HRC Los Angeles Dinner, Reiner spoke out about the need for equality: “We have to move past singling out transgender, LGBTQ, black, white, Jewish, Muslim, Latino. We have to get way past that and start accepting the idea that we’re all human beings. We’re all human beings, we all share the same planet, and we should all have the same rights, period. It’s no more complicated than that.”
The Gay Men’s Chorus of Washington perform “The Holiday Show” at Lincoln Theatre (1215 U St., N.W.). Visit gmcw.org for tickets and showtimes.
(Washington Blade photos by Michael Key)
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